b'JoCKey APPrenTICe JoCKeyIrad Ortiz Jr.WestonBy CLaire CroSBy Hamilton benoit photoMuch has been made of the sibling rival- By eriC MitCheLLry between Irad Ortiz Jr. and Jose Ortiz, the Puerto Rican brothers who have taken the Brothers Kosta and Pete Hronis led all other owners.racing world by storm. Weston Wes Hamiltons career as a While 26-year-old Irad paved the way byjockey didnt begin in the usual way, and his first graduating Escuela Vocacional Hipicaapprenticeship didnt end that way either. and coming to the U.S. in 2011 (25-year-oldThe youngest son of veteran jockey Steve oWner Jose followed in 2012), Jose took home theCowboy Hamilton launched his career in Hronis Eclipse Award for outstanding jockey lastMaryland at the same time his father staged season. And the only feeling stronger thana comeback after 10 years out of the saddle. pride for his younger brother is the innateThen the young Hamilton delivered a Racing drive that subsequently propelled Irad to thebig reward for the efforts of father and son best year of his career. by earning the 2018 title as the countrys I told my agent, I want to feel thatleading apprentice.feeling,Irad said Jan. 23. He said, OK,Wes Hamilton, 20, ended the season with By eriC MitCheLL lets get to work!the highest number of wins by an apprentice, Represented by veteran Steve Rushing,120 (13%) from 920 starts and was second In an era when more and more bigOrtiz Jr. led the spring/summer meet at Bel- by money earned to fellow Eclipse finalisthorses belong to multiple partners, Hronismont Park and took the title at Saratoga RaceEdgar Morales. Hamilton earned $3,512,264, Racing is a family-owned enterprise thatCourse, where he won the Whitney Stakesto Morales total of $3,680,281.employs just one trainer, John Sadler. Its(G1) aboard Diversify. Back at Belmont Sept.The most important thing is to treat a loyalty-based philosophy that has served15, he earned his 2,000th career win. His topevery horse different because they dont all brothers Kosta and Pete Hronis well, both invictories include the Breeders Cup Filly &want the same thing, Hamilton said. their horses and in their Central CaliforniaMare Sprint (G1) with Shamrock Rose and business that began as grape farming andthe Breeders Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) now is a major supplier of table grapes andwith Newspaperofrecord, along with theSTeePLeCHASecitrus fruit. Flower Bowl Stakes (G1T) aboard Fourstar Sadler has built them a multi-faceted sta- Crook, the Arlington Million XXXVI StakesZanjabeelble that means Hronis Racing has an entry(G1T) with Robert Bruce, and the Longines in most Southern California stakes, as well asJust a Game Stakes (G1T) on A Raving in overnight events. Beauty. From 1,616 mounts he compiled Tony Vadurro, an usher at Santa Anita,a 346-277-252 record and a personal bestBy evan haMMondSintroduced the brothers to Sadler, a meet- $27,727,039 in purses to lead the nation in ing that has changed the landscape of theboth wins and earnings. Rosbrian Farm and Meadow Run Farms Southern California ownership map. HronisI worked for where I am now, he said.Zanjabeel earned a pair of NSA-1 victories in Racing leads or is near the top of the ownersI worked to be one of the best in the coun- 2018 and was second in NSA-1 and NSA-2 rankings at every Southern California racetry, to win each race, every time.starts in four outings on the year. That con-meeting. In 2018 the stable led the nation bysistency, along with $265,500 in earnings, earnings with $7,344,810. lands him the Eclipse Award as top steeple-Accelerate accounted for much of thatchaser over Jury Duty, who was awarded the success, though he didnt do it alone. Cata- sports top prize.lina Cruiser added the Pat OBrien StakesZanjabeel, a 5-year-old British-bred (G2) and the San Diego Handicap (G2) andgelding by Aussie RulesGrain Only, by Yuvetsi won the Rancho Bernardo HandicapMachiavellian, was a five-length winner of (G3). Then, five days before the end of thethe Calvin Houghland Iroquois Stakes at year, Gift Box signaled what 2019 mightPercy Warner Park in mid-May under Ross anne M. eberhardtlook like by capturing the San AntonioGeraghty. He returned four months later to Stakes (G2). finish the campaign with a 1 34 -length score Its not just about a horse, said Kostaat Belmont Park in the Sept. 20 Lonesome Hronis. Its about the barn. Its about all ofGlory Handicap with Jack Kennedy up, as John Sadlers work and putting together allIrad Ortiz Jr. enjoyed the best year of his careerthe 17-10 choice. Zanjabeel is trained by the pieces. Its been a blessed year, no doubt. and won the leading jockey trophy. Richard Hendriks.US-BrED7509_EclipseAwards_use.indd 75 3/21/19 2:56 PM'